Fluorinated blood substitutes and oxygen carriers

Perfluorochemicals (PFCs) are highly fluorinated, inert organic compounds t hat can dissolve large volumes of O-2 and other respiratory gases. PFCs are unreactive in the body and excreted primarily as a vapour by exhalation. H owever, PFC liquids are immiscible with aqueous systems, including blood, b ut can be injected safely into the bloodstream as emulsions. Such emulsions are currently being assessed clinically as temporary, intravascular respir atory gas-carriers and tissue oxygenating fluids (so-called 'blood substitu tes'). One such emulsion, a commercial perflubron-based formulation, Oxygen t (TM), is in advanced clinical trials as an alternative to allogeneic (don or) blood transfusion during surgery. Basic and clinical studies indicate t hat Oxygent (TM) can support O-2 delivery to tissues during acute blood los s with no abnormal haemodynamic changes. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.